New Leaf
by sugar.and.cupcakes
Summary: "There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love. -Bryant H. McGill
1. A Dead Man and a Prisoner Make an Escape

"He looks dead."

"He's not dead; you can see him breathing."

"All I'm saying is that they obviously haven't been taking very good care of him."

Slaine could hear distant, muffled voices as if from the other side of a door. Two of them belonged to women he didn't recognize. The other was a man's voice he knew, but just couldn't place. It seemed familiar somehow. Slaine's fingers twitched, and his teal eyes slowly fluttered open. Three flesh-colored blobs floated above him. He squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them.

Two young women sat on either side of him. One had dinner-plate sapphire eyes and the other was a blonde covered in dirt and soot. And the man between them- Slaine's heart skipped a beat. His thin hands shook uncontrollably. His throat dried on the spot like a desert devoid of life.

Though the face was thinner, the hair was messier, the eyes more sunken- it was him.

"M-Milord Count!" Slaine choked, his eyes wide. He struggled to sit up, but fell back almost immediately.

"Relax," Cruhteo commanded, slipping a hand beneath Slaine's back and pushed him up a few inches.

Slaine's food deprived, chemically-imbalanced brain was working overtime. He tried to fight off a tangled ball of terror and disbelief, so he could focus on sliding back into that familiar obedience.

"Calm down. We're here to rescue you," Cruhteo said gently, running his thumb across Slaine's cheekbone.

The Terran's eyes wouldn't stop popping. There were so many things he wanted to say, but they were all caught in his throat. The only thing he could manage to get out was, "You're alive."

Cruhteo hoisted Slaine's tiny body into his arms. "Don't be an idiot. We need to get you out of here," he said. He glanced over at the two women and nodded curtly. "Let's go."

Shouts echoed from upstairs and the thundering of boots was getting louder. The blonde girl pulled a handgun from her belt and kicked open the cell door. The blue-eyed girl followed and peeked her head towards the large metal door.

"The exit's clear! Let's go!" She squeaked, beckoning to the others. Cruhteo jogged out, causing Slaine to grab instinctively to the Count's shirt. He curled his slender fingers into the fabric. The Martian threw open the massive door and ran out onto the empty asphalt. Cruhteo stopped abruptly.

"Liza, where the hell is the getaway car?" Cruhteo snarled, turning on the blonde girl.

"You… you never told me to have a getaway car ready!" Liza sputtered.

"Terran scum! I thought that was obvious! Did you think we were going to be flying away?!" The Count shouted back.

"Don't call me scum! You're the one who didn't tell me to get it!" Liza retorted.

Cruhteo glanced over his shoulder and snatched Liza's handgun out of her grasp. "I should have known better than to trust Terrans… Come on. We're hijacking a car."

Slaine's tired, aching muscles snapped to tension at the sight of the gun. His throat went dry as the memory of having the merciless metal flood his mouth came rushing back in an unwanted tide of panic.

The Count took aim at a government car and shot with deadly accuracy. He shoved his hand through the broken window and jerked the lock. "Get in," he snarled at the two women.

Liza threw open the back door and dove in, the other woman close behind. The blonde woman reached over her friend to slam the door shut. Cruhteo jumped in the driver's seat and pitched Slaine unceremoniously in the other seat.

"C-Cruhteo! They're behind us! Do you have a plan?! Or keys?!" Liza squealed.

"I've always got a plan," Cruhteo retorted. He opened his hand to the blue haired girl. "Aqua. Keys. Now!"

Aqua gasped and thrust the keys she stole off a guard into Cruhteo's hand. He slammed the key into the ignition and stomped on the gas. Gunshots sounded from the prison door as the car screeched into action. The guards poured out of the prison, toting machine guns.

"They're gaining on us, Cruhteo! Stop driving like an old man!" Liza exclaimed, her face pressed to the window.

Slaine turned around in his seat. He could clearly see Inaho standing among the guards. The dark haired boy held up a hand, stopping the guards from pursuing. A guard turned to him, incredulous. Inaho only shook his head. Slaine breathed out slowly and sank back into his seat.

"They're not chasing us anymore… that's weird," Aqua murmured, biting her lip.

Slaine rubbed his temples, still trying to process everything that had just happened. The adrenaline rush he'd felt when he first saw Cruhteo was fading. The starvation-induced unconsciousness snatched at his ankles and pulled him back into the darkness. The Terran's head lolled to the side, coming to a rest on the Martian's shoulder.

Cruhteo did a double take at the unconscious boy. "Goddamn Terran. Can't even stay awake…" he hissed.

"Don't be so harsh with him," Aqua chided. "He's been through a lot."

Liza sighed and ran her fingers through her dirty hair. "How the hell did I let you talk me into busting a dangerous criminal out of prison?" She groaned.

"He's not a dangerous criminal. He's about as dangerous as a rabbit," Cruhteo replied, glancing disgustedly at the unconscious Terran.

They drove on in silence for a while before Aqua spoke again. She leaned forward in her seat and draped her arms over Cruhteo's shoulders, squeezing his forearm lightly. He tensed but did nothing.

"Can I ask you something?" She inquired, peering at his stony face.

"I suppose," the Count grumbled.

"Why did we do this today? I mean… you seem to kind of hate the poor thing."

"I owe him. I have… greatly wronged him in the past. My honor as a knight will not let me forget my transgressions. I hope to remedy my past sins," Cruhteo responded, keeping his voice level.

"Hey. This is a good place to lose the car," Liza said, tapping Cruhteo's shoulder.

He flicked her hand off, but he stepped on the brakes regardless. He stepped out and walked over to the other side. He picked up Slaine bridal-style. Aqua and Liza joined him, and the trio walked on to an uncertain future.

The house was unassuming with white walls and a gray, shingled roof. It usually carried a cheerful air about its red door and trimmed windows, but now it just looked gloomy in the gray rain.

"Home sweet home," Liza yawned, unlocking the door.

Aqua flicked on the lights, chasing away the darkness. "Well… I need to go out to get some medical supplies for our patient," she said, patting Cruhteo's shoulder. "Can you take care of him until I get back?"

"Of course. You shouldn't question my skills," Cruhteo replied smoothly.

Liza raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I mean…"

The Count cut her off sharply. "I am perfectly capable of watching him on my own, Terran."

"Ugh, you'd think after two years with us you would have outgrown all the Terran nonsense," Liza sighed. She shook her head. "Anyway, I'm gonna go with Aqua. I need shampoo."

"Like you use it," Aqua muttered.

"Hey!"

It said a lot about the lifestyle these three lived that going grocery shopping was something normal to do after a massive prison break.

Cruhteo watched his companions go, still holding the unconscious Slaine. He looked down at the Terran in his arms and felt a sharp pang of empathy for him. He crossed over to his room and gently laid Slaine down on the bed. He pulled the covers up around the Terran's body and stood back. He nodded once and strode out of the room.

The kitchen was clean and well taken care of, like the rest of the house. As a doctor, Aqua happened to be hyper paranoid about potential infections. Well, an almost doctor would be more accurate. The Martian attack occurred before she had a chance to finish medical school, and even two years later- nothing was open.

Cruhteo opened the wine cabinet and took out a half-finished bottle of red wine. He poured himself a glass and replaced the bottle absentmindedly. It had been a very long two years. Cruhteo sighed and glanced down at his reflection in the drink.

I wonder… just how many lives have I ruined? He thought. He smiled bitterly and downed the glass. The chance to mend what was broken was finally upon him after two long years of waiting.


	2. The Past and the Present

Slaine awoke to the soft hub-bub of conversation and cooking. He rubbed his eyes and relaxed a little.

"Wow… I had this crazy dream where Count Cruhteo came back from the dead with these two girls and they busted me out of prison," he laughed.

"You should be thankful."

Slaine froze and slowly looked over at the doorway. Cruhteo crossed over to the Terran.

"Get up. You need to get clean and get fed," he commanded. Though he wore casual clothes, the aristocrat was still there.

Slaine furiously tried to free himself from the covers, but his feet got only more entangled in the sheets. He fell off the bed and onto the carpeted floor with the grace of a dying whale.

"You can't even stand up and bow properly? How pathetic."

Slaine squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the blow to come, but there was none. He felt a firm hand grip his wrist, and Cruhteo pulled him to his feet. Slaine stared at him. His skin was on fire from the Count's touch.

The Martian simply turned and strode from the room, holding himself regally. Slaine followed him. He hated himself for falling so easily back into his past obedience.

Aqua waved from the couch as she saw the men emerge. "Hiya, Slaine!" She said brightly. "Look! We're on the news!"

An upbeat reporter was talking on the TV with Slaine's mugshot and a blurry security camera photo of the three figures. Slaine assumed they were none other than Cruhteo, Liza, and Aqua.

Liza poked her head out from the kitchen. "I hope you like lasagna!" She called.

"That filth again? I preferred the toasted cheesy dish," Cruhteo complained.

"It's called a grilled cheese sandwich and we're out of bread," Liza snarled.

Aqua sighed at the bickering pair. She looked over at Slaine with a concerned gaze. "Are you sure you're okay to be up and about? You looked awful at the prison today. You should let me check you out later…" she asked. Her eyes were gentle.

"I'm fine," Slaine replied. He glanced over at Cruhteo and added under his breath, "I have to be."

The blue-haired girl furrowed her brow and patted the seat next to her. "Sit down. Please."

Slaine sat next to her warily. His eyes were narrowed. People weren't this kind without some kind of ulterior motive. However, her round face and over-bright eyes seemed genuine.

A few feet away, Cruhteo sank into an armchair and flipped open a book. Slaine did a double take as he saw the cover. It was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Slaine gaped and Aqua giggled.

"We've been trying to acquaint him with our culture for a while now. He started the series about a week ago," she whispered in conspiratorial tones.

Slaine's eyes lingered on the Count's profile for a while longer. I promised myself I wouldn't let people like him push me around anymore, but here I am. Your obedient servant, Slaine thought miserably.

"Dinner!" Liza exclaimed. She walked in holding a steaming, succulent tray of lasagna. She set it down on the coffee table and began passing out drinks. Aqua took her sparkling cider with a smile. Cruhteo ignored his glass of ice water.

"Here," Liza said, pressing a glass of cold milk into Slaine's hands. "That's for you." Her voice was softer than he'd heard it yet, and her normally beady eyes were a little more tender. Without the thick layer of dust and grime she'd been wearing that afternoon, she could pass for a pretty girl.

Slaine felt his heart expand as he took the glass with a dry mouth.

"Liza, this looks great!" Aqua exclaimed.

Cruhteo glanced over at his meal. He closed his book with a sigh and set it down. "Liza, we've had this so many times. Are you Terrans so incapable of creativity?" He asked snidely.

Liza stepped on his foot. Hard.

Slaine's eyes widened. He looked in horror at Liza's face. She was grinning. How could she be grinning?! If she knew what was good for her, she'd be apologizing on bended knee and begging for forgiveness. Slaine looked to Cruhteo. There was that familiar fury the Terran was all too used to. He knew that anger to explode out of a cane or a cable.

Cruhteo's fingers twitched as if he meant to strike. His cold eyes were focused hard on Liza's grinning face. "Do not step on my foot," he snarled.

Liza took only a tiny step back. "You insulted my cooking, she countered.

Aqua finally stepped in. "Quit it, you two. We don't want to scare our new guest, now do we?" She asked, nodding towards Slaine who resembled a deer caught in some very bright headlights.

"He's always like that," Cruhteo said roughly.

Slaine smoldered inwardly with the save thought of Only when you're around.

The rest of dinner was a little stiff, but overall a pleasant affair. Slaine ate like a starved wolf, eating the first hot meal he'd had in months. It really was delicious.

Slaine cleared his throat. "If it's alright… I have a few questions," he said meekly.

"Shoot," Liza replied, tucking her knees into herself.

"Well… who are you exactly?" He asked, addressing the two women.

Aqua sat up and smiled encouragingly. "My name's Aqua Lurelin. I'm an American; I came to Japan with Liza to study medicine abroad, but after the Martians attacked- I couldn't get my degree," she explained.

"Liza Jackson. I'm an aspiring cook, but I'm a much better weapons dealer," Liza said, waving a hand.

Slaine furrowed his brow. "Is that what you three do? Run guns?"

Aqua nodded sadly. "The world is still getting rebuilt, so until then, there aren't a whole lot of options to get by."

The white-haired male turned to Cruhteo. "M-Milord Count, how are you-"

"Alive?" Cruhteo finished sharply.

Slaine nodded.

"I'm not entirely sure how I survived Saazbaum's attack, but the next thing I remember is waking up with these two. Apparently Aqua had stitched me up," Cruhteo said, sipping his ice water.

"Liza and I heard the explosion and went to go investigate. We found Cruhteo on the ground with his clothes all mangled and this huge gash across his body. Thankfully the wound was pretty shallow, but he had lost a lot of blood. But I saved him!" Aqua added proudly.

"He lied about his identity to us at first. Told us his name was Crux. The truth came out eventually, though," Liza acknowledged.

"Enough about us! Tell us about you, Slaine. Everyone on the news said you tried to kill Princess Asseylum, but Cruhteo said that was a lie. Can you tell us about it?" Aqua asked eagerly.

Slaine looked to Cruhteo for guidance; the Count nodded. "Well, it all started with Princess Asseylum's goodwill visit to Earth…"

Inaho Kaizuka sat down at his desk in his corner office. The entire government was in uproar, but this war hero remained calm as ever. He pressed a button on his desk. "Connect me to Princess Asseylum, please," he requested.

A massive screen opened in front of Inaho, showing the Martian princess. She smiled brightly.

"Hello, Inaho! To what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked, settling herself in her red throne.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news," Inaho said, pulling several photos from a Manila envelope. "Slaine Troyard has escaped from prison."

Asseylum's teal eyes widened. "Really? How?" She asked.

"Today, three pepole in black broke into the prison. Footage suggests two of the perpetrators were female, and one was male. All three were carrying handguns. The women's handguns were Earth-made, 9mm bullets. The man's gun was made on Vers," Inaho recounted.

"A Vers gun? Which one?" She asked.

"Based on my research, the gun was a type given to aristocracy. Upon further inspection of the security footage and bullets, the gun was a couple years old," he told her.

Asseylum bit her lip. "This is unsettling. Can you tell me anything about how they got past the guards and freed Slaine?" She asked.

Inaho nodded. "From what we gathered, one of the women snuck into the security's office. Possibly through the vents or some other method. She injected the guard on duty with a tranquilizer and stole his keys and the keys to one of the cars. From there, she turned off the security cameras and rejoined her accomplices. After that, all we have are eyewitness accounts. The three intruders went straight to Slaine Troyard's cell. They used the stolen keys to unlock him and then made a break in one of the government cars."

"From what you've described to me, the security on this facility seems a bit… lax," Asseylum added.

"It is," Inaho acknowledged. "However, I feel that there are better uses of my funds. When we recapture him, we will move him to a higher security prison until he can be rehabilitated."

Asseylum tapped her fingers against the arm of her throne. "Do you have any idea who was behind it?"

"I believe the man was a Martian Orbital Knight. Based on the footprints he left, he is about six feet tall. I would like you to look into it for me, Asseylum. Find me any Orbital Knights around that height, without an alibi, and a motive for helping Slaine escape," Inaho said.

The princess nodded. "I can do that. I'll get you a list as soon as possible," she replied.

Inaho paused. "How is Klancain?" He asked.

She blinked. "Oh! He's...fine." She shook her head and forced a smile. "I'll get you that list, Inaho. I'll call you once I do, okay?"

"See you, Seylum," Inaho said. He hung up and sat for a moment, watching the blank wall. He pressed his com button again. "Find me every pair of women with heights of five foot ten and five foot four in a fifty mile radius of the crime scene without an alibi," he commanded.

Liza yawned over her hot chocolate. "We're a week overdue on a payment. If we don't get the money tomorrow, we need to bust him," she said.

Aqua looked up from her book. "Who hasn't paid us?"

"Shinji Akamine. He's only paid half of what he owes us for that rifle," Liza growled. She turned to Cruhteo. "You're up to rough him up, right?"

Cruhteo flexed his fingers. "Gladly."

Slaine looked between them. "What's going on?" He asked slowly.

"Well, as we told you before, we're running an illegal weapons dealership here. If someone doesn't keep up with their payments, we find them and make them pay," Liza explained simply.

"But isn't that… unethical?" Slaine tried.

Aqua sighed and closed her book. "The television would have you believe that Earth is completely rebuilt, but that's just not true. There's not a lot we can do, but sell the weapons Liza stole when the Martians first attacked. Once opportunities show up, I want to go back to medical school," she said, frowning. "Until then, there really just isn't a lot for us. But we're very good at staying anonymous, so there shouldn't be any problems when we ditch this gig!"

Slaine nodded. "I guess that makes sense."

Cruhteo yawned and took off his reading glasses. "I am going to bed. Slaine, you're sleeping on the couch," he said.

"He is not sleeping on the couch!" Aqua exclaimed. "He is in a very fragile state, Cruhteo. He needs to be sleeping in a bed."

"Well I'm not sleeping on the couch," Cruhteo growled.

"Then just sleep in the same bed. Jesus Christ, it's not that hard," Liza groaned.

"I don't mind sleeping on the couch…" Slaine interjected.

Aqua shook her head. "As long as you're my patient- you will be taken care of to my best ability. And that means proper sleeping arrangements. C'mon, Cruhteo. Think of it as payback for saving your life," she wheedled.

Cruhteo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. I suppose I do owe you."

Slaine blanched. He stared at the floor with a silent curse for his abysmal luck. The two women said goodnight and started off to their respective rooms. Cruhteo glowered over at Slaine. The Terran shrank into himself, wishing he was not alone with the Count.

"Stand up and try not to look so pathetic," Cruhteo sneered. He stood and beckoned Slaine to follow him. The Terran jumped up and walked into the bedroom.

The Martian opened his chest of drawers and tossed Slaine a t-shirt and a pair of flannel pants. "Put these on," he commanded.

"Y-Yes, sir!" Slaine exclaimed. He caught the pajamas and scampered into the bathroom to change.

Cruhteo sighed and put on his own silk pajamas. He glanced over his shoulder when Slaine re-entered the room. He turned around and pointed to the left side of the bed. "That is your side. Stay on your side. If you go onto my side of the bed, there will be consequences," he said.

Slaine's eyes widened, but he nodded all the same. "Yes, sir."

The Count switched off the light and lay down on the bed. He turned away from Slaine, trying to pretend he was sleeping by himself. Slaine slipped in next to him and scooted all the way to the edge of the bed. He gave a silent prayer to not move in his sleep and closed his eyes.

Cruhteo awoke from sleep a few hours later to find a sleeping Slaine snuggled against him. He gritted his teeth and made to shove the Terran off, but stopped. The poor thing looked sort of… peaceful. Cruhteo sighed. He would allow this. Just for tonight.


	3. The New Normal

Slaine opened his eyes slowly. Was it morning already…? He closed his eyes again and pressed against the warm mass next to him.

"If you don't get off me right now, I will rip you limb from limb."

Slaine's eyes flew open. He looked up, squeaked, and rolled off the bed. He hit the floor with a hard thud and groaned in pain. Cruhteo sighed and stood up. This Orbital Knight was not a morning person. Slaine peeked over the bed at him.

"I'm so sorry, milord! I had no idea-"

"Just shut up," Cruhteo sighed, rubbing his temples. He muttered something about coffee and walked out, leaving Slaine on the floor.

A few minutes passed. Slaine slowly stood up and made his way to the door. He opened the door an inch and peeked outside. Liza and Aqua were sitting at the dining table in their pajamas. Cruhteo strode back into the picture with a steaming mug. He stopped and glared over at the door.

"Slaine. Stop hiding and come get breakfast," he commanded.

The Terran stepped outside, looking around. Aqua smiled at him and Liza waved.

"Hey-o! How'd you sleep?" Liza asked.

"Um, pretty well," Slaine replied, sliding into a chair next to her.

The blonde woman took his empty plate. "How many pancakes do you want?"

"Uh…"

"Three it is!"

Aqua watched Liza retreat into the kitchen before turning to the new guest. "We need to get you some new clothes. Cruhteo's are much too big for you," she observed.

"We can't just take him out shopping. He's the most wanted criminal in the world," Cruhteo reminded her sharply.

"Then we disguise him," Liza said, coming back in. She placed Slaine's plate in front of him.

"In whose clothes?" Cruhteo mocked, sipping his coffee.

"Mine," Aqua replied.

Slaine stared at her. "I'm not a-"

"That's perfect! No one will suspect it!" Liza exclaimed.

Cruhteo peered over his coffee at Slaine. "He is pretty feminine looking. I think we just might be able to pull it off," he murmured.

Aqua clapped her hands together. "Then it's decided! We'll disguise Slaine in my clothes, and then Cruhteo can take him shopping!" She said brightly.

Slaine stared down at his pancakes, wondering just what he had gotten himself into.

"Aaaaand done! Do you think he looks pretty, Cruhteo?"

"He looks convincing."

Slaine stood in Aqua's bedroom, wearing the worst outfit ever. He had been scrubbed, had his nails painted, hair brushed, and makeup put on. He stood now in a frilly, blue dress, white ribbon headband, and flats.

Aqua and Liza beamed at him. Slaine buried his face in his hands. Liza clapped him on the back bracingly.

"Buck up! You look cute! Nobody's going to know who you really are," she said. She gave him a light push into Cruhteo. "Get moving, you two."

Cruhteo glowered at the two women. "Why the hell do I have to take him?"

Liza shrugged. "We have housework to do, and you never help so…"

"You can take Slaine shopping!" Aqua finished.

Grumbling, the Count grabbed Slaine by the wrist and dragged him out of Aqua's bedroom and out the door. He was still grumbling by the time the two men took their seats in the car.

"Wait… if you had this car all along, why did you need a getaway car yesterday?" Slaine asked, buckling his seatbelt.

"Do use your head for once, Terran. If we brought along our own car, someone could catch the license plate and track us with it," Cruhteo reprimanded. He shook his head and turned the key.

Slaine shrank into himself and pressed his face to the window. It had been so long since he was truly on this planet, since he had been among its people. Broken buildings scraped the sky; ivy hugged the houses with its long green tendrils. Cruhteo glanced over at him.

"We're here," he said, stepping on the brakes.

Nodding, the Terran undid his seatbelt and slid out of the car. He closed the door and peered around. It was a shopping center with a nearby carnival in full swing.

"C'mon," Cruhteo said, beckoning Slaine to follow him. The Terran walked behind him, skirt swishing around his legs.

"Hey there, good-lookin!" Called a smoking man from several yards away.

Slaine squeaked and drew closer to Cruhteo. The Count looked down at the terrified Terran and shook his head.

"Calm down," he said gruffly.

The Martian pulled open the door to a clothing store and pushed Slaine through. The bell jingled merrily and a young woman looked up from the cash register. She waved.

"Hello there! Can I help you?" She asked.

"No," Cruhteo growled, pulling Slaine down an aisle.

"I'll be right here if you need me!" The cashier called after them, blushing.

Cruhteo shook his head and leaned against a wall. "Well? Stop standing there and find some clothes that fit."

Slaine started, nodded, and began poking through the shelves and racks. He hadn't shopped for clothes since God knows how long. It was several long hours before Slaine finally found enough jeans, t-shirts, button downs, and slacks to fill a closet.

"Is this too expensive, milord?" Slaine asked, peeking at the Count over his pile of new clothes.

Cruhteo glared at him. "I may not be a noble anymore, but that does not mean I have shallow pockets," he said coolly. He took Slaine's clothes from his arms and placed them on the counter.

The cashier started and jumped back. "That's quite a big purchase…" she murmured.

"Our house burned down," Cruhteo said.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear that!" The cashier gasped.

"It is quite the tragedy," the Count replied.

She rang up the purchase and added her employee's discount as an afterthought.

Cruhteo handed her the cash, nodded, and made for the door. Slaine jogged after him. The Martian stopped at the door and turned to Slaine.

"I'm going to the restroom. Wait outside. I don't want the cashier asking any awkward questions," he told the Terran.

"O-of course!" Slaine exclaimed. He took the bag and stepped outside. He plopped down on a wooden bench and looked up at the orange and violet sky.

"Hello, sexy. You ditch that older guy?"

Slaine gasped. His head snapped up to see the catcaller from early. He had friends this time. The Terran pulled the bag closer to his chest.

"P-please leave me alone…" he squeaked.

"Come on now! We can show you a much better time than that guy from earlier…"

Slaine shivered and leaned back. His head hit something and he looked up to see another stranger. He shrieked and moved to the side. The first man made a grab for Slaine's arm-

"I would not do that if I were you."

The men froze at the sound of the cocking gun. Cruhteo stood in the doorway with his silver, Versian gun pointed straight at the leader's nose. He backed away slowly.

"S-sorry, buddy. W-we didn't mean to cause no harm-"

"If I ever see you near something that is mine again, I will not be so merciful," Cruhteo snarled. He flashed the faded insignia on the side of his gun and the men scampered.

Slaine sat there, trembling like a leaf in a windstorm. He looked up at Cruhteo, his teal eyes sparkling with tears. The Count lowered his gun. He pulled Slaine to his feet with a surprisingly gentle touch. The Terran's lip trembled and he buried his face in his hands. The tears were slow at first, but soon he was sobbing uncontrollably. Cruhteo blanched. He was completely lost. He reached out a hand and gingerly patted the Terran's back. Okay, not effective. The Count sighed and gently removed Slaine's hands from his face. Slaine blinked up at him. Cruhteo shook his head and wiped away the tears and smudged makeup with his thumb.

"Don't cry. It's unsightly," Cruhteo murmured, cupping Slaine's face in one hand.

The Terran sniffed. "Th-thank you for saving me…"

"If I hadn't, I would have wasted all the time I spent planning your rescue yesterday," Cruhteo replied. "Now come with me."

Slaine followed in his footsteps until they reached the edge of the carnival from early. He looked up. "What are we here for?" He sniffed.

"Don't ask questions," Cruhteo said gruffly. He strode up to a dart game and placed a couple coins on the counter. He picked up three darts, cracked his neck, and threw all three of them straight into the bullsye. The teenage attendant gaped at him. He shook his head and gestured to the rack behind him.

"Pick your prize, sir," the attendant stammered.

"Slaine. Take this."

Slaine looked up to find a massive stuffed rabbit being pushed into his arms. He blinked and took the toy in both arms. He peeked over the stuffed animal at the stony Cruhteo.

"What?" Cruhteo asked sharply.

Slaine beamed. "Nothing, sir."


End file.
